Just a further thought. I wonder if you would feel that there should
be posters up here calling for demonstrations against Turkey? That is a
militarist regime that is violating human rights in an atrocious way. It
is also oppressing the minority Kurdish people, as so the Iraqi and Iranians.

One of the Muslim symbols on the Turkish flag is a crescent moon. Would
you consider that an image of a Christian cross in the shape of a sword
being thrust into a crescent moon would offend Muslims generally or be
seen as being a message concerned with Turkey?

Yours sincerely

D.L.

Manager

Reply Five

3rd. August 1988

Dear Mr. L.

I wish to explain that Turkey and Israel are not comparable.

We do not oppose Israel simply because at this moment in time it happens to
be practising barbarism on the Palestinians. We oppose it
because of the corrupt idealogy it is founded upon. Israel
cannot exist without zionism, zionism is the only justification
for the existance of Israel. Turkey on the other hand needs
no idealogy to justify its existance, the natives of that
geographical region constitute its population. (In the case
of Israel the native population is suppressed by a colonial
element, zionism being its justification). It is not possible
to have a just system of government in Israel because of
the racist ideology it is founded upon, justice can only
be achieved after Israel is dismantled and a Palestine is
created in its place. In the case of Turkey, it is possible
to have a just system, although as you have pointed out
one does not exist at present. So in this sense the two
countries are incomparable.

Please do not misunderstand, I do not in anyway support the atrocious
violations of human rights the secular regime in Turkey commits upon its
Muslim population. Ever since Turkey 'turned west' (the western initiated
coup which installed Attaturk) it has done its utmost to supress its Muslims
who wish to retain their Muslim identity. These oppressive measures included
forcing the people to use roman script to write Turkish in while forbidding
the use of Arabic script, the script Turkish was originally written in.
Recent measures including forbidding Muslim women from wearing hijab (modest
head covering) in government controlled institutes such as universities.

The crescent moon in the Turkish flag is a remanant from its Muslim
past. As such it is an embarrassment for the regime which professes secularism.
If one wishes to show support for the turkish people in their struggle
against this militarist regime, one should attack those who brought this
secular regime to power rather than a crescent moon.